Dream Girl
by stormy.grace
Summary: Dean can't get a certain sunshiny someone off his mind, so he decides to do something about it.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sound of the alarm on his phone dragged Dean out of yet another very pleasant dream about Donna. The dream had just been getting good, and he considered rolling over and going back to sleep to see if he could finish it, but he was definitely ready for breakfast so he turned the alarm off, got out of bed, and shuffled to the bathroom to start his day with a cold shower. Ice cold.

While he stood shivering under the cold spray he tried to sort out his thoughts. He had always liked Donna. From the moment he had met her a few years ago he'd thought she was adorable. Pretty in a way that she was completely unaware of, and he liked the fact that she wasn't high maintenance about her appearance, though he wasn't crazy about the reason why. She seemed to think she didn't deserve to look pretty, and that was a shame because she could be a knockout if she wanted to. It was like she was trying not to be pretty, but you either were or you weren't, and she definitely was. So what if she had a little extra weight? It didn't change the fact that she was an absolutely beautiful woman.

And that personality of hers. She was like a firecracker wrapped in rainbows and sunshine. Dean couldn't help but smile when he was around her. He wished he could be around her more.

But why couldn't he? The world was safe for now, and the mess with the Men of Letters had been settled. Mary seemed to be adjusting well, and Stillwater was only about a nine hour drive from the bunker. Unless something changed in the next few hours he didn't see any reason why he couldn't take a little vacation and go see the woman he hadn't been able to get off his mind lately.

After getting dressed he walked into the kitchen, happy to find both Sam and Mary present. This way he could run his idea by both of them at the same time. He took his time fixing himself a cup of coffee, and refilled Mary's when she politely asked him to. It was that polite request, like she was a guest in a stranger's home, that made him start to rethink his plans. He really wanted to go see Donna, but if his mother was still uncomfortable in her own home maybe now wasn't the best time to take off. But there was really only one way to find out, so he waited until he had finished about half of his coffee and was a little more awake before he broached the subject.

"So, uh, Mom," he said, keeping his attention on Mary, but noting that Sam looked up from his paper to tune in out of curiosity. "How are you doin'? You know, with being back and all. Are you settling in okay now that all the crap has calmed down, and things are kinda back to normal?"

Sam set his paper on the counter and gave Mary his full attention, clearly curious to hear what she had to say.

Mary shrugged, holding her coffee in both hands with her elbows on the counter. "It's still a little weird, but I'm adjusting. Why?"

"Do I have to have a reason to ask how my mom's doing?" Dean asked.

"No." Mary agreed, thinking it would be wonderful if he were asking solely to see how she was doing, but as a mother and a hunter she could tell the difference. "But you do. I may have only been your mother for four years, Dean, but I can still tell that there's something else going on in that head of yours. So, come on. What is it?"

"Well, first of all, I really do want to know how you're doing." he assured her. "I can't imagine any of this is easy for you. I know it's pretty weird for Sam and I."

Sam nodded his agreement.

"It is weird." Mary said. "There's a lot I still need to learn about how things work now, and what's going on in the world, but I'm doing just fine. Now, what do you really want to ask me?"

Dean ducked his head and smiled a little. She was such a mom. The smile faded when he looked back up at her simply because what he had in mind was kind of serious. "Well, I was wondering if you would be okay with me taking off for a little while. Both of you actually." he gestured to include Sam as well.

"What's going on, Dean?" Sam asked, instantly worried.

"Calm down. Nothing's going on." Dean assured him. "I just need a break after the last few years. But I know Mom's still adjusting to her new life, and you never really had a chance to develop any kind of actual relationship with her, so I wanted to make sure it's okay with both of you before I leave. If I leave."

Sam and Mary exchanged a glance that contained an entire conversation, much like Sam and Dean often did. They both knew what Dean had been through in the last few years. Sam had seen it with his own eyes, and Mary could see the results of it. He hid it well, but he was tired. It was glaringly obvious to both Sam and Mary that he needed some time off to relax and recharge, and neither of them had any intentions of depriving him of a vacation.

"Dean, if you need some time for yourself, go." Mary said as she got up to put her breakfast dishes in the sink. "Sam and I will be just fine by ourselves. If anything you'll be doing us a favor, giving us a chance to have some one-on-one time to get to know each other better."

"Yeah." Sam agreed. "We'll be fine without you, and if we run into any trouble we'll call you. But if anyone deserves some R&R, it's you. Go have fun. We'll be fine."

"Okay then." Dean said, pushing off the counter to stand up straight. "In that case I'll leave in the morning. Gotta make sure my baby's good to go."

Sam and Mary both smiled in amusement at his affection for the car, and Mary went to go take a shower before heading into town to go grocery shopping and restock on a few supplies, something she insisted they let her do so she could adjust to the vastly different world she had been dropped into.

"You really think she's okay?" Dean asked once she was out of the room.

Sam picked up his paper again and took a sip of his coffee. "I think she's a lot like you."

"That's not good."

"She'll be fine, Dean." Sam said. "You don't need to watch over her every second."

Dean decided that Sam was right and made up his mind that he was definitely going to see Donna. He enjoyed his breakfast and some time with his family, and then spent the afternoon packing and making sure the Impala was all tuned up and ready to go. All the while he was thinking about where he was going, or more accurately, who he was going to see.

He couldn't seem to get her off his mind lately, but he hadn't mentioned one word about it to anyone. He wasn't really sure why he couldn't stop thinking about her since he hadn't had this problem until recently, but he knew that there was no way he wanted his family or anyone else to find out about it. At least not yet.

Cas would probably be respectful about it simply because he didn't know any better, Mary would be a mom about it because she was a mom about everything, and Sam would be the quintessential little brother teasing him about having a crush every chance he got. No way was Dean about to let that happen. At least not until he knew exactly what was going on. Once he got things sorted out maybe he would tell them, but until then he was going to keep it a secret. It was nobody else's business anyway.

As he packed up his tools and wiped grease and oil from his hands he couldn't help but wonder if maybe she thought about him too. Was it too much to hope she did?

 **Awwww! Dean's got a crush on Donna! Dean's got a crush on Donna! And trust me. It gets a lot cuter in the next few chapters. See you again tomorrow for another dose? ~SG**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"You never said where you're going." Mary commented casually while she packed a cooler the next morning for Dean to take with him on his trip.

Dean sipped coffee while she loaded sandwiches and snacks, all properly stored in plastic containers, into the cooler. She was trying to sound casual, but Dean knew she was fishing for information. She may technically be about ten years younger than he was now, but she was still his mother, and a mother would always want to know exactly where her son was at all times. Even if he had been taking care of himself for close to forty years. Unfortunately for her, he wasn't ready to give her the information she was looking for. "That's because I haven't decided yet. I was thinking about just driving around until I find somewhere interesting. Maybe swing by and see Jody and Claire and Alex."

"Oh." Mary said, clearly unsatisfied with his answer. "Okay. Well, be careful, and call us when you get wherever you're going. You know, so we know you're safe."

"I will." Dean promised, smiling at her as she closed the cooler. He gestured to it as she slid it across the counter toward him. "You know, you didn't have to do this."

"I'm your mother."

She made it sound like that left her with no choice but to pack him a lunch, and he couldn't help but grin as he moved around the counter to hug her and kiss her cheek. "Yes, you are. Thanks for the food, and I promise I'll be safe."

"I love you!" Mary called after him as he grabbed the cooler and headed for the door. "Have fun!"

"Love you too!" he called back, happy he could tell her so. He never missed a chance now that he had her back.

%%%

"You never said where you're going." Sam said, unknowingly parroting Mary, as he walked Dean out to the car.

Dean smiled in amusement as he opened the back door and slid the cooler inside. "That's because I haven't decided yet. I was thinking about just driving around until I find somewhere interesting. Maybe swing by and see Jody and Claire and Alex. But I promise I'll be safe, and I'll call you when I get there, Mom."

"Shut up." Sam said in response to Dean's teasing.

"No, I literally just told Mom the same thing." Dean explained. "Because she literally asked me the same exact question. You two are more alike than you think."

Sam smiled at the compliment, but didn't acknowledge it further. "So, what's up with the suit?" He asked, having spotted the garment bag as Dean was loading up the car earlier. "I thought you were going on vacation."

"I am." Dean said. "But you never know what might come up. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Yeah." Sam agreed. "Okay. Well, have fun, and don't do anything too stupid."

Dean grinned and slammed the door shut. "No promises. Hey, are you sure you're gonna be okay here with Mom?"

"Yeah, of course." Sam said, waving away Dean's concerns. "I mean, it'll probably be a little weird just the two of us since it's never been just the two of us, but we'll be fine. You go, and have fun. When you get back I'll take a vacation, and you can have some quality time with Mom."

"Deal." Dean said, smiling as he hugged his brother good-bye. "I'm not sure when I'll be back, so call me if you need me."

"Yes, Dad." Sam said dryly.

"Bitch."

Sam smiled. "Jerk."

Dean smiled and slid in behind the wheel. "Take care of Mom."

"I will." Sam promised, and watched Dean drive away.

"So," Mary said as she came out of the bunker and stopped beside Sam. "Wanna throw a wild party while he's gone?"

Sam chuckled and smiled at her. "How about I take you out to a nice dinner instead?"

Mary smiled back. "Deal."

%%%

As Dean drove he began to think that maybe this was a bad idea. He was certain Donna would be happy to see him because she was Donna, but what if she was too busy with work? She wasn't just sheriff of Stillwater anymore, and surely that meant she had more to do. What if she was too busy for work and didn't have time for a guest? Maybe he should've called first to make sure it was okay that he came up. He could still pick up the phone and call, but he wanted to surprise her so he didn't. If he got there and she was too busy then he'd just drive out to Sioux Falls and spend some time with Jody and the girls. He could stop back in Stillwater on his way home, and maybe she wouldn't be so busy then.

Or what if she was busy with Deputy Doug? They had encouraged her to give him a chance. What if she had, and now Dean didn't have a chance? Maybe he should call.

But no. That wouldn't work because in order to find out if she was single he would have to ask, and that was a conversation he would much rather have in person. It was better not to call. Even if she was with Doug or someone else she would still be happy to see him as a friend. She wouldn't throw him out of town just because he hadn't called before showing up. That would be ridiculous, and so not Donna.

But since he was still nervous about seeing her again he took his time driving to Stillwater, making stops along the way to check out some of the towns he passed. There wasn't much to see on the road other than cornfields, but the towns were nice. They were the same as any other small town he had been to, but since he wasn't focused on hunting down some monster he could take the time to walk around some and explore. And after exploring a few places and meeting some very nice people he decided it was something they should do more often when they had the chance.

Sam had suggested he take a trip when Dean got home and let Dean have some quality time with Mary, but maybe they should pack up the car, grab Cas, and take a family trip to explore their own back yard some. Maybe they could swing by and pick up Donna too. Surely she could use a vacation, and he would love to see how she interacted with her family.

But first he would have to find out if she was even remotely interested in him. And that meant he needed to stop exploring and get back on the road. He was never going to find out how she felt about him if he never made it to Stillwater.

 **I know, I know. There wasn't much to this chapter, but isn't Dean cute when he's all nervous and excited? ~SG**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Oh, fiddlesticks." Donna cursed under her breath as Doug parked his truck behind the unfortunately familiar black Impala in front of her house. She recognized it immediately, and while she was more than happy to see her friends, she couldn't imagine their reason for showing up unannounced was anything less than troublesome.

"Something wrong?" Doug asked, looking worried as he cut the engine, planning to walk her to the door like he did after every date.

She waved his concern away, not wanting him to think anything was off. "Oh no. Everything's fine. Just some unexpected guests. Nothin' to worry about."

"So, I guess I'm not comin' in tonight, huh?"

"Probably easier if ya don't." Donna said, hating the disappointed look on his face. "But I'll see ya soon, yeah?"

"Yeah." Doug agreed happily. "I'll call ya tomorrow. We can do somethin' this weekend if your friends aren't gonna be in town too long. If you want."

Donna smiled at the bashful way he added the last part. He was such a sweet man. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"Want me to walk ya to the door?"

He was hopeful, but she could see Dean sitting on her front porch, and thought it would be best if Doug just went home. "I can manage."

"Oh." Doug said, disappointed again. "Okay. Well, I'll call ya."

"Talk to ya tomorrow." Donna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and let herself out of the truck, pausing to smile at him before she shut the door. "Hey, Doug?"

"Yeah?"

"I had a really nice time tonight."

Doug smiled, proud of himself for planning a date that she had enjoyed. "Yeah, me too."

"I'll talk to ya tomorrow." she said. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Donna shut the door and walked around the truck, pulling her jacket tighter around her body to keep out the chilly fall air, and braced herself for whatever news Dean had.

%%%

It was after ten, so Dean couldn't see her very well until she stepped onto the porch and the soft glow from the porch light illuminated her. The single bulb didn't give off much light, so he still couldn't see her extremely well, but there was enough light for him to see that she was clearly all dressed up for a date with whomever had just dropped her off. That saddened him, but her appearance sort of took his breath away at the same time. Based on what he could see she looked amazing.

It looked like she had slimmed down some, which didn't matter to him in the slightest unless it made her happy, and her hair was all wild and wavy. Definitely different than the simple ponytail he was used to. He couldn't really tell, but it looked like she might be wearing some makeup, and her clothes were definitely different than anything he had ever seen her in. Some kind of frilly top that was probably white under a well-fitting blazer that looked green in this light, a pair of skinny jeans that hugged her curves perfectly, and a cute little pair of brown ankle boots that made her a little taller than usual. No jewelry that he could see, but she certainly didn't need it. Her personality was all the sparkle she needed, and Dean couldn't help but wish that he was the one she had gussied up for.

Even in the dim light it was easy to tell that she looked great, and _wow_ was all he could think to say. But before he could even open his mouth she was fussing at him.

"What in the fluff are you doin' here, Dean?" she demanded, sounding worried and a little mad. "Other than interruptin' my date."

"Uh...well...I..." he stammered, and then managed to put himself back together and started over. "I didn't mean to interrupt your date, but I kinda thought you'd be a little happier to see me."

Donna sighed, realizing she had overreacted a little, and pushed her hair out of her face. "Oh gosh. I'm sorry, Dean. Of course I'm happy to see ya. It's just that whenever you and Sam show up it means somethin's going on. A supernatural somethin', and I just had a really nice night with Doug. I don't really want any ghosts or vampires ruinin' that. Ya know?"

"Trust me, I get it." Dean assured her. "But there's nothing for you to worry about."

"There's not?"

He shook his head. "No monsters, and no Sam."

Now she was worried again. "No Sam? What happened?"

Dean chuckled at her immediate concern for his brother's well-being. "Sam's fine. He's just not here."

"Oh." she said, mild confusion at Dean's general presence replacing the fear that something bad had happened to Sam. "So, what brings ya up to my neck a' the woods?"

"Decided to take a little vacation, thought I'd come see you." he replied honestly, trying not to smile too much at the way she talked. The words she chose and that slightly nasal accent of hers were just so adorable. It was part of why he liked her so much.

Donna smiled, revealing her dimples and releasing a swarm of butterflies in Dean's stomach. "Out of all the places ya coulda gone you decided to come see me?"

"Yep."

"Aw! Come here." she pulled him into a hug, having no idea what she was doing to him. "You're sweet, Dean, and it sure is good to see ya."

"It's good to see you too." he said, returning the hug. He couldn't figure out why she was making him feel things no woman had ever made him feel before, and he wasn't sure he liked it, but he was pretty sure there was nothing he could do about it. So he decided to roll with it, and hope he didn't do or say anything completely stupid or embarrassing.

Donna smiled up at him as she pulled away. He seemed to be acting a little strange, but she reminded herself that she had never really interacted with him when he wasn't working a case. Maybe he was just more confident when it came to his work like she was. She had no problem giving orders at the station or chopping a vampire's head off, but put her in a social situation and she was usually a complete mess. It didn't seem too likely, but maybe Dean was the same way.

Suddenly she no longer cared that he had cut her date short. She was just glad he was here so she could get to know him better. She wished he had brought Sam with him, but she could get to know Sam better another time. As long as none of them went and got themselves killed she was sure she'd have a chance to spend more time with both brothers. Maybe she could go down to Kansas sometime when she had some time off and pay them a visit. She could definitely use a vacation, although she didn't think the drive down there would be all that fun. Staring at miles and miles of cornfields on her way through Iowa and Nebraska didn't sound all that entertaining. Or maybe she could swing through South Dakota and see Jody on her way to Kansas. That would spice up the trip some.

She mentally shrugged off the endless cornfields and vacation ideas, and unlocked the door, inviting him in with a cheerful smile. "Come on in. You're welcome to stay as long as ya like."

"Awesome." Dean said, relieved. She may not be as available as he would've liked, but at least she wasn't throwing him out. "Let me grab my stuff out of the car real quick."

Donna waited on the porch while he ran back to the car to get his bag, and happily lead him into her home, still wondering exactly what had made him decide to spend his vacation time with her. She was flattered, but she wasn't sure she was worth it.

 **Oh, they're just so cute! And isn't Doug sweet? But does he really stand a chance with Dean around? ~SG**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Well," Donna said as they stepped into the foyer, and she turned on the lights. "Welcome to my house, I guess. Nothin' real fancy, but ya know, it's home."

Dean looked around the space. They were standing in a nicely lit foyer that led into a formal dining room on one side, with a staircase and what was probably a living room on the other side. It was a pretty Victorian house, and the house itself and the furnishings and décor that he could see from where he stood seemed to suite Donna perfectly. She had clearly put more effort into the house's appearance that she normally did her own, but based on her personality the house suited her. It was pretty, cheerful and welcoming, and Dean was definitely interested in seeing the rest of it. But right now he was more interested in getting a better look at her now that he had better lighting.

When he did he realized that he had been right. She had lost some weight, and she was wearing some makeup. It wasn't much, and it was very natural, but it suited her just like the house and her outfit. She was a knockout when she put some effort into her appearance, and he certainly wasn't complaining about the glimpse of cleavage her top offered. He was silently applauding her for wearing such a top because even though it was still a very modest top it showed more than he thought she would be comfortable with and she seemed perfectly fine with it.

"Wow." he said, pulling his gaze back up to her face because he didn't want to look like a sex-crazed jerk or make her feel uncomfortable.

She looked at him, slightly confused about his awe over her house. "It's nice, but it's not that great."

"Not the house." Dean said. "I mean, the house is lovely from what I can see, but that wow was for you. Donna, you look amazing."

Donna blushed immediately, her entire face blazing red as she suddenly became awkward and looked down at her feet in an attempt to keep him from seeing just how red she had turned. "Oh. Well...gee. That's...thanks, Dean. That's really sweet of you."

"I'm not being sweet." he corrected her, aware that at least part of her thought he was just being nice and didn't really mean what he had said. "I'm being honest. I didn't mean to embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable or anything, but you look great."

She believed him, but it still unnerved her. She wasn't used to getting genuine compliments like that from anyone, but especially not men, and definitely not men like Dean. She glanced up and flashed him a quick smile. "Thanks. Um, I guess I'll show you up to the guest room, and you can get settled. I'm gonna change clothes if you don't mind, and then I'll give you a tour of the house and we can catch up some, yeah?"

"Sure." Dean agreed easily.

"Unless you'd rather just go to sleep." she said quickly, giving him options. "It's kinda late, and I'm sure you had a nice long drive. You're probably tired."

"Not really." Dean said. "If you'd rather go to sleep that's fine, but I'm good for another few hours at least, and I'd love to hang out for a little while if you're up for it. That is why I came up here after all."

Donna knew he was trying to make her feel comfortable again, letting her make the decisions since it was her house and he was the guest. She appreciated it, but she was still a little unnerved because it sounded like he was flirting with her a little whether he meant to or not. And she just couldn't wrap her mind around someone like Dean Winchester flirting with someone like her. Maybe she could settle down once she had changed because surely he wouldn't still be looking at her like that when he saw her in her pajamas. That sweet, almost adoring look in his eyes was what was really messing with her more than what he was saying.

"Okay. Well, come on then." she said, gesturing for him to follow her.

He followed her up the stairs, trying hard not to check out the view too much because he was afraid she would be able to feel him staring, and she was already freaked out enough over one little compliment. For the most part he was successful, but it was a great view. Those jeans really did fit perfectly.

"Here ya go." she chirped as she reached the top of the stairs, and led him to the door directly across the hall. "The other two guest rooms are kinda girly. I thought you'd like this one better, and I'm right next door if ya need anything." She stepped inside and pointed to the door directly to her right. "Bathroom's right here. Fresh towels and all should be in there. If not, let me know." She moved a little further into the room, and pointed to a second door. "Closet's over there if ya need it, and like I said, I'm right next door if ya need anything."

Dean looked around the room. It was probably the nicest room he had ever stayed in, his own included. It was clean and pretty just like every other part of the house he had seen so far. It wasn't cluttered, but it was decorated enough to make it look homey and welcoming, and the bed looked nice and comfortable.

"Nice room." he said, voicing his approval.

She smiled proudly. "Thanks. I decorated it myself. Did the whole house myself actually."

That surprised him a little. "Seriously? It looks like a professional did this."

Donna shrugged. "I was gonna be an interior designer way back when. Went to college for it and all. Obviously it didn't work out, but at least I can make my own home pretty."

"Well, you did a great job from what I've seen so far."

Donna smiled again, much preferring the compliments on her decorating skills than her appearance. "Thanks. I put a lot of work into it. But you get settled. Give me a few minutes to change, and I'll give you that tour."

"No rush." Dean assured her.

When she left him alone he let out a heavy sigh and walked into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. He had been expecting Sheriff Hanscum, the version of Donna that wore an unflattering uniform and didn't really pay much attention to her appearance, and while he knew that same girl was still in there, she had thrown him for a loop tonight. This new look of her was definitely not what he had been prepared for even if it was just because she had been on a date.

But he was trying not to think about the fact that she had been on a date because that hurt a little. Who was he kidding? It hurt a lot. He'd been thinking about her and literally dreaming about her, some of the best dreams he'd ever had, for months. He had come up here in hopes of winning her over only to find out that someone else already had.

"Doug." he spit the name out, feeling jealousy rise up as he did, and walked back to the bedroom to sit on the bed.

She had told him to settle in and make himself at home, so he did. He hung the garment bag containing his suit in the closet and left his duffel on the bed for now. He took off his jacket because it was nice and warm inside, and thought about taking off his shoes and socks too, but what if his feet smelled from being in shoes and socks all day? Better to save the bare feet for tomorrow after he had had a shower.

While he called Mary to let her know he had arrived safely Donna was in her own bedroom having similar thoughts about smelly feet.

"Get a grip, Donna Marie." she told herself as she gazed into her bathroom mirror. "It's just Dean."

But that was exactly the problem. They were friends, and he had never shown any interest in her as anything more than a friend, but she had developed a little crush on him the moment she had met him. She was sure every girl that met him did. How could they not? He was only one of the most attractive men on the planet, and it had been so cute the way he had been so completely oblivious to the powdered sugar all over his face while they had been eating donuts during that first meeting even though Sam had made a point of pointing it out to him. Of course, back then she had thought she would never see him again.

The handful of time their paths had crossed hadn't helped her crush any, but that's all it was. It was just a crush. Sure she'd had that dream about him, but Jody and Sam had showed up in her dreams a few times too. It didn't mean anything, and she'd convinced herself that there was no way a guy like Dean Winchester would ever be interested in her. But now she wasn't so sure.

He had come up here specifically to see her, and though she wasn't surprised he had complimented her because he was Dean, she certainly hadn't expected that look. It was weird thinking he might like her as more than a friend, but even if he did it didn't matter. She was with Doug, and Doug was great.

She was with Doug, and it was going to stay that way because she was happy with Doug, and there was no way Dean could really be interested in her as more than a friend. She must have misread that look in his eyes. Dean was the kind of guy that could have any woman he wanted. Why would he want her?

 **Oh, I'm killing myself here! They're so adorable! You know, I wrote this story because I thought it would be cute, but I never realized it was gonna be this level of adorable. Please tell me I'm not the only dying here. But seriously, Donna (and anyone out there like her) stop it. You're amazing, and anyone would be lucky to have you. Shame on whoever made her (or you) feel unworthy. ~SG**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Donna finally decided that she wasn't going to be nervous around Dean. He was her friend. If she couldn't be comfortable around him when she wasn't wearing her uniform this was going to be the most miserable friendship ever. So, with the exception of a little bit more attention to detail than usual, she put on her pajamas, and tried to convince herself that her insecurities were irrelevant around Dean.

"Knock, knock." she said cheerfully, announcing her presence as she poked her head back into his room. "Ready for that tour?"

Dean looked up from his phone and grinned openly at the sight of Donna in her pajamas. The outfit she had put together, and possibly bought, specifically for Doug had been replaced with a simple purple tank top and plaid pajama pants in shades of blue. She wore a loose gray cardigan over her pajamas, and her feet were covered by a pair of colorfully striped socks. Her hair was still loose and wild, pushed out of her face, but she had removed her makeup and was now wearing a pair of over-sized glasses with translucent peach-colored frames that should look dorky, but of course they didn't. On Donna they just looked cute.

"Cute PJs." he said as he followed her out of the room.

"You gotta stop with all the flattery, Dean." she said, hoping she sounded like she was teasing. "A girl could get used to it."

"You should get used to it." he said. It killed him the way she thought she didn't deserve to be told she was pretty. "You deserve compliments, Donna."

She smiled at him. "You're sweet."

He wished she would stop saying that. Maybe not the words, so much as the way she said them, like she thought he was just being nice so he wouldn't hurt her feelings. Of course he didn't want to hurt her feelings, but he wasn't saying these things just to be nice. He was saying them because he meant them. She was a beautiful woman, and she had looked amazing all fixed up for her date even though she hadn't done much to fix herself up. Not that she needed to do much. In fact, she didn't need to do anything, and right now was proof of that because she looked downright adorable in her pajamas. All comfortable and relaxed, and just...Donna.

He suddenly wanted to kiss her, but thought that would probably be a bad idea. She had opened her home to him, and he didn't need to mess that up by crossing lines that didn't need to be crossed. She was with Doug, and unfortunately that meant he had no business kissing her or even thinking about kissing her. So he pushed those thoughts out of his head, and followed her around the house, complimenting her talent for decorating, and wondering why she had no trouble accepting those compliments, but if he made a positive comment about how she looked she freaked out. He simply couldn't understand why she felt the way she did about herself.

As they settled in the living room with a couple of beers and some music Dean would never have picked playing softly on the TV over the fireplace it occurred to him that someone must have said or done something to make her feel the way she did about herself. Probably more than one someone, and probably more than one time. He knew Old Doug had contributed, but her body image issues seemed to run pretty deep, and Dean didn't think her ex-husband was the only one to blame.

He wanted to ask her about it so maybe he could help her get over it, but he didn't think that would go over any better than kissing her, so he decided on a safe topic even if it was one he wasn't particularly crazy about.

"So," he said, once they were settled on the couch. "You and Deputy Doug, huh?"

"Yep." she confirmed, smiling as she sipped her beer. "Turns out he's a pretty great guy. I'm not quite sure what he sees in me though."

Dean stared at her for a moment, arguing with himself briefly over whether or not he should say something or let it go. He decided to say something. "I hate it when you do that."

"Do what?" she asked, a little surprised at his sudden agitation.

"Cut yourself down like that, make it sound like you're worthless. You're not worthless, Donna." he insisted, his voice rough with irritation. "Doug likes you because you're a beautiful, amazing woman."

She looked down at her lap, uncomfortable with his compliments yet again. She wished he would stop doing that. She had come a long way since Old Doug had dumped her, but she just wasn't comfortable with having attention drawn to her appearance no matter who it was coming from or how sincere they were. "I look better than I used to, and I like the way I look now, but I'm not that beautiful. Thanks for sayin' so though. That's awful sweet of you, Dean."

"Damn it, Donna, I'm not being sweet. You _are_ beautiful!" he insisted, trying to make her understand. "Hell, you're downright hot. I've always thought so. Old Doug was an idiot if he couldn't see it, and I'm sure New Doug sees the same thing that I do."

His words surprised her so much that she had to set her drink on the coffee table and look up at him. "What do you see?"

"An amazing, beautiful woman that I can't have because someone else got to her first." he admitted, his tone softening as he voiced his feelings for the first time in hopes that it might make her understand that she didn't deserve the way she treated herself.

Surprise didn't even begin to cover her reaction to that revelation. Donna was shocked, plain and simple. Doug liking her was one thing, but a guy like Dean? Sure he was her friend, but he could have any girl he wanted. Was he really saying that she was the one he wanted? She'd thought it earlier, and she still thought the same thing now even when he was clearly stating the opposite. It was impossible. "W-what?"

Dean sighed. He hadn't intended to be quite that honest with her, but there was no turning back now so he might as well come clean. "I didn't come up here to see you just because I felt like it. I came up here because I can't get you out of my head, and I was kinda hoping you might feel the same way about me."

Donna stared at him, completely flabbergasted, for a long time before she finally managed to say something. "Oh."

 **Oh, you hate me right now, don't you. Darn those cliffhangers to heck! It's worth it though. I promise. I saved the best chapter for last, and I just know you're gonna love it. ~SG**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

He hadn't meant for it to come out. As soon as he had found out that she was seeing Doug he had decided to keep that information to himself, but he hadn't been able to keep it to himself because he was so upset over the way she treated herself. The truth had come out, and he couldn't take it back. And he didn't know how to handle the situation because she was just staring at him. He needed some kind of reaction so he could gauge the situation and figure out what his next move should be, but she was just staring at him like he had just given her the most impossible news in the world.

But he knew that wasn't the case, because he had heard far more impossible news. People coming back from the dead was impossible, stopping the Apocalypse was impossible, stopping the Darkness was impossible. Dean developing real feelings for a woman was not impossible. It wasn't even difficult. Especially not when the woman was smart, and strong, and funny, and beautiful, and she could go from munching on donuts with powdered sugar all over her face to chopping a vampire's head off with no problem. She was a catch, and any man that didn't want her was stupid as far as he was concerned.

"Oh." she finally said after what felt like forty years in Hell all over again.

"Oh?" he repeated. "What does 'oh' mean?"

"Oh means...oh." she said. "Oh means I'm havin' a little trouble wrappin' my head around what you just said. I mean, gosh Dean. You really know how to turn a girl's world all topsy-turvy, dontcha?"

"It ain't that big of a stretch, Donna." he argued.

"Maybe not for you." She sounded like she was accusing him of something as she got up and wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself to cover her body up, and shoved her hair out of her face. "But, in my experience, guys like you don't like girls like me."

"Guys like me?"

"Yeah." she said. "The really good-lookin' guys that could get any girl they wanted just by existing. Those guys don't like me. Those guys never like me."

"I like you." Dean reminded her.

"Oh, sure. Now that I've slimmed down and started dressin' nicer, and you don't have to lie to me about the monster huntin'." she scoffed.

Now it was Dean's turn to stare. He felt like she had just slapped him. "Is that what you really think of me? Because that couldn't be further from the truth."

Suddenly she deflated. All the fight just went right out of her, and she realized that she was being very unfair to him. She sighed and sat back down, brushing her hair out of her face again. "I'm sorry, Dean. Of course that's not what I think of you. I may not know you all that well, but I do know you're better than that. I shoulnd't've said those things, but you dropped a major bomb there."

He shrugged a little, indicating that he hadn't really had a ton of control over the situation. "Sorry."

"It's okay." she said, waving away his apology. "I know you don't see me the way I see me, but I still can't wrap my head around you likin' me...you know...like that."

"Well, I do."

She tried to accept it, but her brain simply couldn't understand how it was possible. "I just don't believe it."

He knew arguing with her was pointless, so he leaned over and kissed her instead, surprising her once more.

But it wasn't just any kiss. He kissed her like he meant it. After a moment she realized that he wasn't kissing her _like_ he meant it. He was kissing her _because_ he meant it, and it was probably the best kiss she'd ever had in her entire life. Not only were there actual, real feelings and desires behind it that he felt for her of all people, but boy did he know how to kiss.

She couldn't even remember the last time Old Doug had kissed her. Probably on their wedding day, or fairly soon after, and it certainly hadn't been anything like this sweet, caring, and mildly passionate kiss she was receiving right now. And New Doug...well, they were still working on that part of their relationship. Like her, he didn't have a ton of practice in that department, but Dean clearly...wasn't "Doug." she said as she broke the kiss and pushed Dean away, removing her hand from his appealingly muscular chest as if he had burned her. "I'm with Doug."

Dean smiled softly. "I know. I wasn't trying to steal you away or anything. I was just trying to make a point. Do you believe me now?"

"I don't guess I have much of a choice after that." Donna said, resisting the urge to touch her freshly kissed lips. "That was some kiss there, mister."

"You didn't answer my question."

She smiled. "Yes, Dean. I believe you now. Like I said, I don't really have much of a choice after that, and you have no idea how flattered I am because you are, in my opinion, _way_ out of my league, but...I'm with Doug."

"Doug's a lucky man." he smiled sadly, and got up to leave. "I'm just gonna go grab my stuff, and I'll be out of your hair."

"My hair's fine, Dean." She said. "You don't have to go. We're still friends, right?"

"I hope so."

"Then I'd still like to get to know you better." Donna smiled up at him, flashing those dimples again. "If that's okay with you."

"You're still okay with me staying here after that?" he asked, surprised.

"I don't see any reason for you to stay at a hotel when I have plenty of room here." she said. "If it gets too weird havin' you here, I'll let you know." She patted the cushion beside her. "Now, come here and tell me what you've been up to since the last time I saw ya."

Dean smiled, thinking that she must be very secure in her relationship with Doug to let him stay after he had obviously crossed a line no matter what his intentions were, and sat back down. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she would be making another appearance in his dreams tonight.

 **I know that's not much of a conclusion to this little love story, but I did it on purpose. This way it's easy to continue if I decide to (which I probably will), and if not you can draw your own conclusions. But I think we all know where this is eventually going to end whether I write it or not, right? And if there does end up being more to the story it will probably be a little while before there are any updates since I currently have probably a few too many writing projects going at the moment. So, I hope y'all enjoyed the story, and don't be surprised if there ends up being more. ~SG**


End file.
